Charming the Shortstop

Belltown Six Pack #3

by Heather B. Moore, Rebecca Connolly, Sophia Summers

Swoony Sports Romances

Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusettes, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues.

Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Clean Romance, Baseball, Contemporary Romance

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2019

About the author

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than ninety publications. Heather writes primarily historical and #herstory fiction about the humanity and heroism of the everyday person. Publishing in a breadth of genres, Heather dives into the hearts and souls of her characters, meshing her love of research with her love of storytelling.

Her ancient era historicals and thrillers are written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes historical women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore, and . . . speculative fiction under Jane Redd. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. Despite failing her high school AP English exam, Heather persevered and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in something other than English.

Please join Heather's email list at: HBMoore.com/contact/
Website: HBMoore.com
Twitter: @heatherbmoore
Instagram: @authorhbmoore
Facebook: Fans of Heather B. Moore
And yes, the Blog still lives: MyWritersLair.blogspot.com

Literary honors: 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Semi-Finalist, Foreword 2020 INDIES Finalist, ALA Best New Books - September 2020, 6-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 2019 Maggie Award Winner, 4-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner.

Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

Reviews

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story even though I had to look up where the shortstop's position is. Go ahead and laugh, I don't have any brothers, I went to an all girls school, and I'm not into any of the major sports. The point is, you don't have to be into baseball to read and love the Belltown Six Pack series.

Axel the "Axe Man" Diaz is flying back to Belltown for Sawyer's mom's wedding and because he doesn't date he's going solo to the rehearsal dinner later that night. That is, until he meets flight attendant Brighton West on his flight from Seattle to Belltown. He's drawn to her violet eyes and impulsively asks her to attend the rehearsal dinner with him. Surprising himself and shocking the rest of the Belltown Six Pack. Brighton hasn't dated since her fiance left her at the altar but accepts Axel's invitation to the rehearsal dinner where she wows the guys in the Six Pack.

I LOVED Axel. I can't believe some his so called fans called him “Cold Axe” just because he didn't date. This gorgeous, talented man helped take care of his mom and teenage sister. He even helped Brighton out with a couple of obnoxious passengers, and helped a little old lady with a broken suitcase. This man is a gentleman where women are concerned.

Oh, let's not forget about the sparks that fly between Axel and Brighton. As Brighton is known to say "Holy Hector"! These two have chemistry, but somehow they manage to keep their wits about them. I don't see how, because Axel seems to be a super great kisser. I think every woman needs a great friend like Gabe. Maybe Gabe will show up in another book or get his own story. (hint hint)

Although this is the third book in this series each book can be read as a standalone. This is a clean, but swoony romance.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this series and these rough-and-tumble softies who play professional baseball! At the surface, they all seem to have it all--they have good looks, talent, humor, a pack of great friends, and women all over the place. But each story delves deeper into the life of one player at a time and allows the reader to really get to know these men and what I've found so far--they aren't perfect at all, they each have issues, and they're even more lovable than ever!

This story tackles Axel Diaz's story--the shortstop. It's true that he has a no-dating streak, but there are good reasons why and when Brighton catches his eye, that's all over. I loved the differences between these two characters and the way they each complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. These are some solid characters and the sweet, tender cores they each have only serves to build upon a passionate first attraction. The magnetic chemistry is definitely swoony!

I loved watching them both interact with the Belltown Six group and I can't wait to read the rest of the stories!

Content: mild+ romance (innuendo, kissing, swoony); mild language

*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooooh. 😍 That's how I feel about this book. I've got spring fever and baseball fever and this book just hit my sweet spot. I love that the baseball moments felt like baseball and that the sparking chemistry between Axel and Brighton felt, well, sparky! (thank you for the excellent kissing scenes, Heather B. Moore!) I was caught up from the very beginning and I probably read through this book way too fast but I just couldn't help myself. It was yummy! This is a fun series and I can't wait for more! This book is available on KU if you have that.

[Shash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this series! And this one was my favorite so far. I absolutely loved Axel!! He is a genuine, giving, caring man. He deserved someone special, and Brighton was definitely that person. I loved the way they got together, and his reaction when he saw her again was so perfect. I loved the journey they took, and the many swoony moments along the way.

The interactions with the Six Pack are always fun, and I can't wait to read the rest of their stories!

I received a complimentary copy of the book, which I voluntarily reviewed. I have given my honest opinion.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a fun read. I love this series. This is the third book in the series that I have read. It is fun to see the overlap in characters from one book to the next. And yet, each book is a stand alone. The characters have deep layers and yet are so human. So well written with a fast moving story that I didn't want to put down.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can this series keep getting better and better?

Axel Diaz doesn’t date. He’s too busy playing baseball and taking care of his mom and his teenage sister. When Axel meets Brighton West on a trip back to Belltown, he can’t get the sweet flight attendant out of his mind. What can I say? I like seeing a man brought to his knees over a good woman!

This was a slow burn kind of relationship where Axel and Brighton both had to overcome their past, and figure out what they wanted for their future. I loved the romance of it and the chemistry. I also loved Axel and Brighton’s friends: the comments from the Sixpack, and Gabe. I really love Gabe! He was the perfect best friend for Brighton, supporting her, pushing her when she needed it, and making her laugh! I really hope Gabe gets a book for himself sometime. I’m halfway in love with him already!

Content: clean (some kissing)

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Axel may be my favorite of the Belltown Six so far! He's devoted to his mother, teenage sister, and career, leaving no time for dating... but that's just an excuse. He doesn't feel like he's relationship material because of his issues with his father. It was great to see how his strong feelings for Brighton make him see that the risk is worth taking. I loved how he was a little vulnerable around her, and made his interest known instead of playing games. Brighton is overwhelmed by him but as she focuses on Axel as a person instead of his baseball fame, she sees what makes him so amazing. Their developing relationship was a pleasure to read, and even though there isn't a huge conflict or climax, the character-driven story made me so glad for their happy ending. Loving this series! The books are written so they can be read in any order, so don't hesitate to pick one up!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/26/2019)! 🎁

[Donna Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I loved the cover and second I LOVED the story. The characters were so fun and I really enjoyed the teammates in the story as well. The chemistry was great and the kisses were sweet. This is a sweet, clean romance.

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my heavens! I love Baseball! But I think I'm really loving this Belltown Six Pack series. This group of 6 friends who have become professional baseball players are so much fun. They all have their own unique personalities and quirks but I love the friendship and camaraderie that they share. It's been a lot of fun getting to know each of them more the further I read in to this series. This one is book three and I think it's safe to say that you could read it as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading them all.

This one is my favorite of the three that have been published so far. Heather Moore has a gift for writing for sure! So if you're a fan of hers already you're in for a big treat with this one. If you haven't ever read her work, I hope you enjoy it and if you do you can easily read any of her genres and find she is very talented writing in any genre.

A long time ago, in a different time (like when I was a kid and teenager), I used to play softball and co-ed baseball. I loved it! I played Pitcher mainly and shortstop as well. So this was so fun to read the shortstop's story. Any talk about the players being on the field had me glued in and brought back memories from my glory days. Lol! I was itching to find a ball and mitt and to take my family out to play ball! So fun! We went a couple summers ago to a professional baseball game and my daughters absolutely loved it! Super fun!

Axel and Brighton were two characters who had some pretty great chemistry! I loved watching Brighton's hesitation and almost disbelief that this amazing superstar baseball player was interested in her. It was a surreal thing for her and I loved how the author made it seem very real. I mean, if you happened to run into a pro baseball player and they wanted to be your friend after a very short interaction, and they kept contacting you, how would you react? It was great. I think the other thing I really enjoyed was how great of a guy(character) Axel was. I was very impressed by his character. And his backstory, I might have gotten a little choked up over it. Probably because I've worked with several kids like that and you want the best for them, and to see Axel go above and beyond showing his gratitude for those who reached out to help him. Fabulous character in my book!

Ok, stop reading my review and go read the book. It's so much better than my ramblings. Trust me!

Content: I would say this is a clean read. There are a couple mild swear words used a handful of times throughout the book. The kisses are swoony and there are some mild innuendos but there are no sex scenes and the characters are very honorable.

I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[Kathryn Munsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good start for the series

The story had depth to the characters and lead you down a great story line. You will enjoy this one!

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I loved the plot and the characters. It was sweet and funny. I want to read about the rest of the six pack now!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great addition to the Belltown Six Pack series. Looking forward to the next book.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am LOVING these Belltown Six Pack books! I love the characters and the plots. And their written by some of my favorite authors. These are all written so they stand on their own. I like that in a way. In another way, it’s a bit odd that they don’t talk about the girls that are with the guys in the stories that are already out. And that is a bit weird to me. But I still love them!

Axel might be my favorite hero of the Six Pack so far. I love the way he looks out for his mom and his sister, even giving up his own time for them. He almost sees himself as his sister’s dad figure. And that makes sense, given their past. I really loved the way Brighton helped him get past that a little bit as this book went on.

Brighton is a great character too! I loved the idea of being a flight attendant as I read it. Until she met a couple of unsavory men. But Axel fixed them. And that made it better. There were so many things about Brighton that I loved. She is up for almost anything. A friend’s mom’s wedding…sure. Playing a form of baseball after, in her dress without shoes…sign her up. Meeting mom…not so much. That part of her, made her human and I loved it!

The plot of this one is a lot of fun! I love this kind of romance. And the reader gets to see all of the Six Pack together. That’s always a ton of fun!

I can’t wait for more of these great books!

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this installment of the Belltown Six-Pack. Axel is such a good guy and Brighton is caring and kind. I dreamed of being a flight attendant when I was little and Brighton shows all the poise and grace that I imagined were part of the job. Axel is the man of his family, the constant male presence in his little sister's life and a support for his mom. I also love that on one of their dates, Axel takes Brighton to the Chihuly garden. I know how beautiful the glass installations are and this is an exhibit I'd love to visit. My only complaint is that while I realize these are meant to be stand-alone books, chronology kills me. Mama Sal got engaged in Sawyer's book but we don't see any mention of Erica at the wedding rehearsal dinner or fun stuff afterward. Cole and Harlow were more fluid, timewise, so no problem there. I loved Gabe, would like to have a friend like him, and Axel's sister, Sylvia was a hoot. His mom wondering how she referred to characters in a book as real... That's what I'm doing as I read! These characters really come alive for me, and now I'm rambling so I'll stop with 👍🏼👍🏼!

[Amanda Caswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! A Belltown Six novel I whole-heartedly enjoyed

This novel seemed to be much lighter than the previous ones--probably because there were no drawn out scenes of drama or characters acting inexplicably stupid. It was a simple story of two people trying to fit into each other's lives, with doubts of past experiences and crazy family members. Brighton seemed a little more believable than Axel because we saw more of her inner demons while I would have preferred seeing more of his life and his relationship with his sister and mother firsthand instead of glossed over. But he was dreamy, patient, and kind--everything a romantic hero should be. I'll definitely have to buy this book as opposed to continually checking it out from KU.

[Ballet in AK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming the Shortstop by Heather B. Moore (4 stars)

Depth of character, swoony romance and baseball that even a lukewarm baseball fan, such as myself, can enjoy.

I loved that these characters had real lives that were complicated, yet they still made time to be together. I loved how each accepted the baggage of the other with grace and helped the other move to a more emotionally secure place.

A lovely story with extremely likable characters.

It’s hard to go wrong with any book written by Heather B. Moore-she’s an author I follow and read the minute a new book of hers comes out!

*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance, clean; Series but stand alone read
Axel's story was so fun, sweet, heart-wrenching and that little bit of athlete/group of friends sass and fun that the Six Pack is known for. Meeting Brighton, their Cinderella story and the sweet way Axel gets Brighton in his heart and head, and the same for her.. They have some road blocks but they make it with each other as they both open their hearts to the possibilities of letting their attraction, fun, sweet moments and finally see the real possibilities of what they can become together. I re-read this as I forgot to put my review up, and loved it even more the second time. Genuine, honest characters finding each other and finding their true hearts.
I have said this about all of the stories, but re-reading this, I know this is my favorite of this series. Romance, clean; Series but stand alone read
Axel's story was so fun, sweet, heart-wrenching and that little bit of athlete/group of friends sass and fun that the Six Pack is known for. Meeting Brighton, their Cinderella story and the sweet way Axel gets Brighton in his heart and head, and the same for her.. They have some road blocks but they make it with each other as they both open their hearts to the possibilities of letting their attraction, fun, sweet moments and finally see the real possibilities of what they can become together. I re-read this as I forgot to put my review up, and loved it even more the second time. Genuine, honest characters finding each other and finding their true hearts.
I have said this about all of the stories, but re-reading this, I know this is my favorite of this series.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Axe Man

Axel and Brighten are a great couple with lots of charisma. I loved the way they met. It was a fun interesting way to meet. We all have hardships and heartaches to work through. It’s part of life. I love that Brighten had the courage to face challenges and work through problems. It’s great how caring and accepting Axel and his family are.
“Of course you do, Brighten said with amusement. “You’re the Axe man.” I especially loved the end. It really fit Axel and Brighten’s personalities and relationship.

[Classicbook01 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great book in the Belltown series!! Axel and Brighton are both great characters and it is really fun to see how their story unfolds. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Karen Hoffman - Booktastic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this is a story about a group of friends and each book you learn and discover more about the characters. This is a sweet romance with an easy flow to the story. I would highly recommend this to everyone.

[Nari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I liked the connection between Axel and Brighton. It was fun for me to have them be located in Seattle since I live in the area. I liked how Axel tries to take care of his family. The romance has good sizzle and the book is heartwarming.

[Luci Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book of the Belltown Six pack series; I have enjoyed the previous books very much and looked forward to this new one as well. It was great to get to "know" another member of the Six pack and see the growing relationships, both with the other members of the six pack as well as the lady of interest!

It was fun to see the character perspectives and how it creates the tension between the two. I liked the fact that Axel used his past to grow into a kind person and looking outside of himself to help others by offering better opportunities for those that remind him of himself. Even heroes need heroes and someone to help and love them. Brighton had her own issues but she was a bit harder to understand, but I felt for her all the same.

I enjoyed the characters but I was a bit frustrated with the interaction between the two main characters as it seemed the main focus was the great kissing and the relationship between the two didn't seem to become as developed because of it. I know it wasn't all, but it seemed to get in the way a bit for me. I felt that the secondary characters relationship with the main characters were a bit more developed and that was a bit disappointing.

An enjoyable, clean romance with some fun baseball "thrown" in!

Would recommend the book for a good read!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great addition to the series of stand alone books about the Six Pack. I really liked the characters of Axel and Brighton. Their meet cute is fun and unique. I also really liked Gabe, Brighton's friend. He is the perfect sidekick.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute read. I am lovin’ this series!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming the Shortstop is the third installment from the Belltown Six Pack series. I enjoyed Axel and Brighton's story. It is quite a quick read and I had no problem at all reading it in no time. I am giving it four stars. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

[Nashellej · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each month I am so excited for the continuation of the series and learning more about the Six Pack. Seriously, so much fun.

Charming the Shortshop nailed it. I really enjoyed this one. I liked the depth of the relationship that was developed. It wasn't all about how "hot" someone was (though of course there is some physical attraction), but the characters moved quickly from the physicality of the chemistry to going deeper into learning more about each other. I love that in a story - getting to know people and seeing them interact with each other. It makes everything much more real, relatable and, honestly, more romantic to me. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

So when Brighton & Axel meet on an air plane, at first I kind of rolled my eyes and thought "physical" . . . then the plot and the story kicked in and I was drawn in by my curiosity of finding out more about these people and it was fantastic. A great read, rounded and exciting with plenty of romance as well as plain old fun with the characters - including the Six Pack.

I can't wait for the next one!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series but only my second to read. I have enjoyed them both. After reading this one I am more excited to read the rest of the series. I am not usually a huge fan of sports romances. However, these are fun and light books. Heather is not a new author to me. I have read several of her other books. There are a few series of hers I haven’t read yet but there isn’t anything of hers I’ve read that I haven’t liked. In this Belltown Six Pack novel we get to know Axel better known as the Axe Man, Heartbreaker Axe, and even Cold Axe. But there is nothing cold about this man. He is the ideal man. We also get to know Brighton who perks Axel’s interest from the beginning of the book. She is a flight attendant. Her self esteem took a nose dive a year earlier when her then fiancée dumped her the day of their wedding. We see in this story how Axel and Brighton have to overcome their personal difficulties to decide if a relationship is what they want. This is a sweet, clean read with steamy kisses.

[Misty Goan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful well written heartwarming good clean fun romance. This sweet storyline is a standalone in the six pack series, a group of six awesome college best friend baseball players. This is Axe's story with great appearances from the rest of the group. Axe meets Brighton on the plane to Mamma Sal's. Having no time or desire for a women in his life he is knocked off balance meeting Brighton. I enjoyed watching them and their relationship grow while Brighton overcome past hurts and Axel falls in love for the first time after asking her to be his date to Momma Sal's wedding. A great HEA. I honestly and voluntarily reviewed this ARC.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that Axel tried to act like a normal guy. trying to help and serve others and doing the best he can. I like the down to earth character of Brighton. Her kindness she shows to others is awesome! I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and watching them grow as well.
Can't wait for the next novel in this series!
I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions shared are my own.